The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 59 4200 wheels & tires

Just bought my truck a month ago. Made me feel like a kid again. It brought back alote of good memories. Then I found The Stovebolt Page. Its like I landed in a playground with a whole bunch of others kids playing with there trucks.
My problem is tires I'm not sure of the size or what to replace them with.
I have a 1959 chevy flat bed with dual wheels. its a 4100 series 172 in. wheel base.

The front tires are 8-19.5 8 ply.
the wheel is 5 bolt but has 10 holes
the rear tires are 22.5 6 bolt
the rear tires was made by goodrich for U-Haul.
what i need to know is what size tire do I need to replace them none of the tire stores ive called know.
I could not find anything for big trucks till I foung Stovebolt and Mikes Garage.
one other thing what is.
Flat Face Cowl Chassis, Cab Chassis, Stake & W/S Cowl Chassis.
thanks Bruce

Hey Bruce,

Welcome to the Stovebolt page!

Your truck should have come from the factory with a Chevrolet rear rated at 11,000 pounds. It would have had ten 5/8" studs and a gear ratio of 6.17:1. The six stud axle you have is rated at 15,000 pounds and was used on the 2 ton and up models, looks like you've been upgraded at some point in time. Is it a 2-speed?

Your front axle sounds stock with the five 5/8" studs and the ten stud wheels (which can be used on the front or rear). The front tires/wheels are also correct on your truck (8x19.5 tubeless). Your truck could also have had 8x22.5.

Flat Face Cowl is what a school bus or milk truck were built with.

Cab Chassis are just that, a Cab and Chassis (no boby on the back). This is how most of the bigger truck were sold.

Stake is a Stake body truck which was the only body available from the factory on the big trucks, all others were dealer or owner installed.

W/S Cowl Chassis is a Flat Face with a windshield (Good Humor Truck).

Mike B

I went all over the axel and could only find the numbers 288 stamped on the axel
I have been trying to get the lug nuts broke loose they are 1 in. center and 1 1/2 outer. I got the passanger side broke loose but could not get the drivers side loose Used 3/4 drive breaker bar with 5 foot pipe and alote of heat. tried cutting them off [ just 1 ] But after getting your reply on 5/8 bolts. I started to look them over better. the bolts are squared on the ends with a r stamped on the passanger side and a L on drivers side. I worked on that side for 5 hrs. If they are left hand threaded nuts. I know I have then on good and tight

It is not a 2 speed
It has 16 leaf springs ?
I'm thinking they might have taken a rear axel off a U-Hual truck and just left the tires on it. The tires are stamped with made for U-Haul
thanks for getting me headed in the right direction
Bruce j

30 mins. later and 5 lug nuts broke lose and one to go. 1 full day lost because of left threaded nuts.
Along with alot of good memories comes some of the bad

Bruce,

I have a BIG truck "X" type lug wrench that has the 1-1/2" hex socket and the 1" square scoket. I use a small jack stand to hold the free end of the wrench up and put a 6 foot long 2" heavy wall pipe on it to break the lugs free. When putting things back together I put "Never-Sieze" on the threads, it seems to help the next time I take them off.

The rear numbers should be on the top or on the face of the center section.

Mike

thanks Mike
I had never changed dual wheels befor. I've got them all off.
I bought a 1 1/2 6 point deep socket $46.00
Where did you get your lug wrench?
Now I have to get the drums off. drivers side back wheel cylinder is leaking . The other side I can not hardly turn the wheel. Looks like I'm going to have some fun this week.
thanks for your help Mike.
If you think of anything that I should know about takeing the drums off a big truck please let me know. I did it on cars and trucks befor A few years ago. But not on one of these.
thanks again
Bruce

Hey Bruce,
I just finished taking off the rear brake drums on my '52 GMC 2 ton. Like you I had never attempted this before. What I did was soak the hub where the inside dia. of the drum nests with penetrating oil for a few days, then I backed off the shoe adjusters through the slots in the backing plates. Next I made up a BF slide hammer out of threaded rod, or you could possibly borrow one.I hooked on to the outside dia. and by alternating back and forth on opposite sides,I had both drums off in about 15 minutes.Sometimes it helps if you can heat up the drum A LITTLE around the hub. Good luck.

Govtmule
I will start on it Sat. I have been working on it outside now I have to get it in the garage. If I let most of the air out of the tires I can just get it inside. Dont want to run into truoble and get stuck outside.
But I will try your idia with the slide hammer. I have had the front drums off with no trouble. there was no edge on the drums. They came off pretty easy and looked really good.
Bruce

Bruce,

There could be 3 flat head screws in the face on the drum holding it to the hub.

On extreme cases I have used a 5' piece of 3" heavy wall pipe as a slide hammer. I get under the truck and rest the pipe on the leaf spring and hit the outer edge of the drum by sliding the pipe back and forth across the spring. With the heavy weight of the pipe and the spring holding it up I have good control and don't normally hit the backing plate.

Mike

First, sounds to me like the front 19.5's are the correct wheels, that's for 4000 series trucks, even today. Wanna sell them. Those tires can be had most places, just might be $250 or some less each! They used them on Motorhomes alot. Second, sounds like you have Budds on back? Big 1-1/2" nuts to hold outer wheel, then the square headed Budd nut to hold inner, one side is left handed. Snap-on makes sockets, guess you bought that one for both types. Oil and long bar on supported wrench at wheel is the right answer most times. As for the drums, take off with hub and all. Remove the axle or axle cover on outside end of axle, may be 8 to 10 bolts, some have tapered wedges too. If tapered wedges are there, loosen nuts alot, don't remove. Then hit on axle end with 2 to 4 pound hammer a good "Rap" and the tapers should loosen and then remove nuts and tapers. Pull the axle out, it will be oily and stinky, set up on end aside somewhere. In the hub will be two big nuts and a lock ring between them. The ring may have tabs bent over into slots on the outer nut. Bend them back, buy those big tin sockets in size you need to fit your nut. Loosen outer nut, remove the lock ring, the inner nut should arleady be loose or nearly so. when nuts are off, whole hub, bearings and all will come off as one. The outer bearing may come out easy, don't drop in dirt. With outer bearing out, the hub may move around more and be easier to "work" off. If the brakes aren't hanging up on them, they should come off. Maybe gentle blows with big hammer around edges to assist. Get new seals for hub in back, repack bearings some. You may not even have to clean and pack, if well lubed now, just keep them clean, and don't mix sides. Most of these rears have two cylinders per wheel and can get expensive, plus hard to find. Be prepared to open wallet and wait! I once had a Ford F-600 truck, with that size tires, said "Made for U-haul" on them, not for resale. If this is a changed axle, bet it's a Ford or Eaton type, not GM at all. Good Luck!

G.L.
Just found some numbers on axle ch1229. I looked for the spes. at Mikes Garage and could not find a CH.
I went out and I think it has 2 cylinders.There is only 1 break line going into it.
Is there some place I can get a book for this big truck. I dont think this is going to be in a standard repair book?
Bruce J.

Bruce - the 55-59 factory shop manual has all the info you'll need for all models of truck - tho it won't have numbers of individual components, you'll prolly be able to tell from the pics and details wether the rear is original GM or not - also, GL and Mike are right, that truck should have 19.5's front and rear, or [if actually a 4400], 22.5's front and rear - also there wasn't a 172" WB, the 4100 was 132.5", the 6000 series was 174.5" [all from the manual]

Bill

Hey Bruce,

What's the chances of you posting the serial number that is stamped on the top of the left front frame rail found just ahead of the steering box? This might help clear up what year truck you have or what it's a mix of. The 1955 & 1956 Series 6500 were 172" wheel base trucks and the 1957-59 Series 6500 were 174.5" wheel base. Chevrolet moved the front axle 2.5" forward in 1957 to accommodate the larger wheels.

Your truck could be wearing 4100 fender numbers, but is really a 6500 (2-ton), they share the same fenders.

Mike B

Ordered a shop manual last night.should have done that a month ago. I was wrong on the wheel base it is 132.5 I copied it wrong.
I can go out in the morning and check the numbers on the frame. Where is the wheel base mesured from? I'll go out and mesure and where ever I end up with 172" or 17.5" should be it.
{i think}
I have not got it in the garage yet.
My wife said I had to clean her side out first so she can park her car inside Or i could go out and sleep in the garage with my truck. Her side will be cleaned up today. Gets kind of cold up here in Michigan or I would have let her know who is the boss.
Bruce j

Bruce,

The wheel base is measured from center of wheel to center of wheel.

mike
the numbers on the frame are 59f 120805. They are the same as the ones on door frame:
[4a59f 120805]
Looks like the frame and cab are the original.
The wheel base from center of wheel to center is
132 inches give or take a 1/2 inch.
I will not get my shop manuals till Monday. You can never get a shipment on friday just mondays always waste a weekend.
I want to tank everone for there help. Learning new stuff all the time
thanks
Bruce j

I got the mamuals
the shop manual was for gmc must have hit the wrong key. There going to send me the one for chev Monday. I got the supplement manual.
It has a chart for load capacity. In the 4100-4400 section for gross vehicle weight.
10000 to 12000..then it has *14000 which is what I have . It says it does use 8 22.5 on the rear also it has H.D. 10-leaf main and 5 leaf auxiliary rear springs.
Is the H.D. or Hydrovac the type of rear end
Ive posted some pics.
http://community.webshots.com/user/brucej114

thanks bruce j

Bruce,

Looks like you have a 15,000 pound GM rear. The "H.D." is Heavy Duty. The Hydrovac is the power brake booster.

Mike